Story Highlights

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars

Address: 318 Wallace Ave.

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Price Range: Inexpensive

Tucked away on a little street in St. Matthews, just off Lexington Road, a Vietnamese eatery sits to the left of a convenience store. I’m talking about Namnam Café, a locally owned restaurant run by head chef David Truong and his family. I’d heard good things about this place and decided to stop by for dinner on a cold Friday night.

The main dining room has lots of seating, but I wouldn’t recommend it during winter unless you want to feel a cold draft every time someone opens the door. I sat in the dining area off to the left, which is warm and far enough away from the front that you don’t have to hear every takeout order that comes through.

My meal began with Namnam rolls ($8). Rolled in rice paper, the mix of grilled Vietnamese pork patty, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, herbs, and vermicelli offered a perfectly fresh and tasty starter. I went with Hoisin peanut sauce, which added a pleasant, slightly sweet flavor. Nuoc mam — a traditional fish sauce made with chilis, garlic, and lime — is also available.

I’m no stranger to Vietnamese cuisine, but having never tried a Vietnamese crepe ($12.50), I decided to give it a go. Filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, onions, and scallions, this crepe is described on the menu as “thick and crunchy Vietnamese savory sizzling rice flour coconut cake.” I didn’t get to taste any of that, because unfortunately, my crepe was extremely burnt. Hoping it was just the crepe itself, I peeled it away and attempted to eat some of the fillings — but the burnt flavor had seeped through to everything.

I was glad to move on to the Saigon noodles with tofu ($11.50). For the same price, they can also be served vegetarian, with organic chicken, or with pork. There’s also organic beef for $12.75 or shrimp for $13.50. It’s important to note that customers can select their preferred spice level for most dishes at Namnam Café. The menu also explicitly states that orders should be made carefully, as there are no remakes or refunds.

The Saigon noodles, however, cannot be made any less spicy than medium. I didn’t see this a problem since I’m a fan of spicy foods — so I ordered mine one level up. But the spiciness of this signature dish did nothing to enhance its flavors; instead, it overpowered everything. From the vermicelli noodles and the veggies to the egg and the tofu — just about every element of the entrée shared the same, overly spicy flavor. Only the faint taste of celery could be detected.

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The vermicelli bowl ($11) was much better. I ordered mine with imperial rolls, but other options include lemongrass-grilled chicken or pork ($11.50), tofu ($11), lemongrass-grilled beef or pork patty ($12.50), or lemongrass-grilled shrimp ($13.50). Bean sprouts, lettuce, cucumbers, pickled carrots, shallots, crushed peanuts, and scallion oil drizzle sat atop a bed of rice vermicelli noodles. Everything looked and tasted fresh, and the imperial rolls — which are fried, crispy rolls filled with pork, shrimp, and vegetables — gave the dish a nice crunch. They also provided a pleasing contrast to the otherwise cold dish. Unlike the Saigon noodles, the vermicelli bowl was delicious and flavorful and did not disappoint at all.

Namnam Café has only one dessert on its menu — Kahlua mocha cream cake ($5) — so of course, I asked for a slice. The server’s response was that he “saw them making it,” but didn’t know if it was ready. A few minutes later, he popped back around the corner, shaking his head to indicate that indeed, the cake was not ready.

As I left the restaurant, I reflected on my rollercoaster experience: The crepe was burnt and they didn’t have any dessert ready — although presumably, they would have planned to have all menu items available on a Friday night. The Saigon noodles weren’t great, either — though the outcome might have been different if I’d stuck to a medium spice level.

On the other hand, the Namnam rolls, as well as the vermicelli bowl, were wonderful; I’d order both again any time. Perhaps I visited on an off night. I wouldn’t mind trying this Vietnamese restaurant again — I’ll just dial down the spice and hope for some cake.

Freelance restaurant critic Lindsey McClave is out on maternity leave. Lennie Omalza, who writes the Home of the Week column for Courier Journal, is filling her shoes (and plate!) for the next few weeks. Reach her at aloha@lennieomalza.com.

The Namnam Cafe's Saigon noodles (which can be made gluten free or as a vegan dish) is made with spicy (hot) vermicelli noodles stir fried with scallions, cabbage, celery, onions, egg, bean sprouts and curry paste and a choice of organic chicken, pork, tofu, grass fed beef or shrimp.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman

The Namnam Cafe's crepe (banh xeo or "sizzling pancake") is made with a thin and crunchy Vietnamese savory pancake filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, onions and scallions and served with herbs and Nuc Mam sauce.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman

The Namnam Roll is made with grilled Vietnamese pork patties, carrots, cucumber, vermicelli, lettuce and herbs rolled in rice paper and served with Hoisin peanut butter or Nuoc Mam sauce.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman

The Namnam Cafe's Saigon noodles (which can be made gluten free or as a vegan dish) is made with spicy (hot) vermicelli noodles stir fried with scallions, cabbage, celery, onions, egg, bean sprouts and curry paste and a choice of organic chicken, pork ,tofu, grass fed beef or shrimp.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman

The Namnam Cafe's crepe (banh xeo or "sizzling pancake") is made with a thin and crunchy Vietnamese savory pancake filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, onions and scallions and served with herbs and Nuc Mam sauce.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman

The Namnam Roll is made with grilled Vietnamese pork patties, carrots, cucumber, vermicelli, lettuce and herbs rolled in rice paper and served with Hoisin peanut butter or Nuoc Mam sauce.
16 January 2019 Special to Courier-Journal by David R. Lutman